Littlejohn United Methodist Church

09/06/2026

Morning Worship

09/06/2026

Today's Reading:
Psalm 30:4-12

Thought for the Day:
Music can draw me closer to God.

Prayer Focus:
Those struggling to pray

Sing praises to the Lord, O you his faithful ones, and give thanks to his holy name. - Psalm 30:4 (NRSVUE)

Worries raced inside my mind, and though I wanted to pray, I was unsure of what to say. I decided to search for music to relax my mind and help me meditate on God’s healing love.

As I listened to various kinds of music over the next few days, I felt calmer. Classical instrumental pieces allowed me to breathe and wait on God, who is more powerful than the problems we endure. The traditional hymns I had heard as a child grounded me and reminded me of my hopes and dreams. Praise songs lifted my spirits and helped me feel closer to God. Listening to and reading lyrics about standing strong in faith, trusting in God, and being thankful for Jesus’ sacrifice became a life-changing form of prayer for me. Music helped me to focus on God’s promises and renew my relationship with God during a challenging time.

The psalms reveal the hope and comfort David found in writing songs and playing music, and even now — thousands of years later — music has the power to engage and transform people and connect us to our Creator. I am grateful that God has given musicians and writers the gift to change lives through music by leading people to Christ.

Today's Prayer:
Healing Father, thank you for the gift of music. Bless the musicians and lyricists who draw us closer to you. Amen

09/05/2026

Today's Reading:
James 5:13-16

Thought for the Day:
Prayer is an opportunity to draw closer to the Lord.

Prayer Focus:
Cardiac Surgeons

As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts. - Isaiah 55:9 (NIV)

My friend and neighbor was in the hospital for what could have been a relatively simple procedure to improve the efficiency of his heart. However, if the procedure failed, he would need to have open heart surgery — something his weakened body might not be able to tolerate. My prayer was simple and repetitive: “O Lord, please allow the simple procedure to be successful.” I am sure that many other prayers of a similar nature were uttered by his loved ones.

The doctors attempted the procedure three times, and it failed each time. But the next morning, the doctors were amazed to find that things had changed overnight. Despite everything they had observed the day before, the procedure had in fact been successful, and my friend was sent home. The doctors had no medical explanation. I recalled the words of Isaiah 55:9, which reminded me that God’s healing power is not limited by the ways and thoughts of humans.

Not all prayers are answered in dramatic fashion, and not all are answered as we would like. However, all prayers are answered in accordance with God’s will and timeline, and all prayers serve to draw us into closer communion with our Lord.

Today's Prayer:
Dear Lord, may we pray without ceasing as we look to you for compassion, comfort, care, and courage. Amen.

09/04/2026

Take a breath.
Look back at what has been forming in you.
Strength.
Clarity.
Faith.
Conviction.
You are not behind.
You are being prepared.
And now… we step forward together.

09/04/2026

Today's Reading:
John 15:9-11

Thought for the Day:
May Jesus’ joy be in me, and may my joy be complete today!

Prayer Focus:
To cultivate joy in all circumstances

Jesus said, “I have said these things to you so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete.” - John 15:11 (NRSVUE)

Life’s challenges can be overwhelming, but Jesus’ joy is always available to us and does not depend on our circumstances. In John 15:11 Jesus said, “I have said these things to you so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete.” This joy is a gift from Jesus, residing within us. As we navigate life’s ups and downs, it’s essential to remember that Jesus’ joy is not something we must manufacture or find in external sources. It’s a gift that’s already within us, just waiting for us to tap into it.

Whatever we struggle with — whether it’s anxiety, feeling overwhelmed by responsibilities, or facing a difficult decision — Jesus’ joy is available to us. What would it look like to live with Jesus’ joy in the midst of challenging circumstances? How will we cultivate this joy in daily life? What practical steps can we take to experience Jesus’ joy more deeply? Even amid difficult circumstances, when we tap into Jesus’ joy we can find peace.

Today's Prayer:
Dear God, thank you for the gift of Jesus’ joy that is always available to us. We pray as Jesus taught us, “Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen” (Matt. 6:9-13, KJV).

09/03/2026

Today's Reading:
Proverbs 30:1-9

Thought for the Day:
My worth comes from my status as a child of God.

Prayer Focus:
Those with eating disorders

Don’t give me either poverty or wealth; give me just the food I need. - Proverbs 30:8 (CEB)

I’ve always been a big girl and felt pressure internally and externally to be a small girl. I started my first diet at age thirteen. I exercised strenuously and severely limited my food intake. I quickly lost weight, but when I tried to return to normal eating habits, I started bingeing. Soon I regained all the weight I had lost plus more. So I started another strict diet. This pattern of dieting and bingeing became a way of life for me. I lost my ability to discern when I was truly hungry or when I was appropriately full. I had no idea how to eat moderately.

When I first read Proverbs 30:8, it spoke directly to me about my eating disorder. I prayed that God would help me find my portion — not too much and not too little. God helped me to see that my views about food, body image, and self-worth were skewed. God freed me from these and replaced them with reality and truth. I surrendered my image of the ideal body and began to find my genuine worth as a child of God.

As for eating, I followed the serving sizes listed on food packages. I stopped buying diet foods and focused on preparing healthy meals. With God’s help and taking these practical steps, I slowly adjusted to moderate eating. Today, I am free from the cycle of dieting and bingeing. I am capable of moderate eating, and I’ve learned to love myself as I am.

Today's Prayer:
Mighty God, free us from unhealthy ideals that diminish our self-worth. Help us to see ourselves as you see us. Amen.

09/02/2026

September is National Su***de Prevention Awareness Month in the U.S. 💜🩵

Use the resources in our Su***de Prevention for Faith Leaders and Faith Communities training video toolkit throughout the month to help raise awareness. The training equips clergy and congregations to respond to those in crisis with compassion, confidence, and hope.

Tap the link in the comments to download the toolkit.

If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, call or text 988 in the U.S. or chat at 988lifeline.org to connect with the 988 Su***de & Crisis Lifeline.

***dePrevention ***dePreventionMonth

09/02/2026

A word from Lory Beth, District Superintendent

“Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” –

1 Thessalonians 5:18

Holy God, who knows both the joys of our heart and the struggles of our spirit, hear our prayer today. Remind us of the big and little things that Your hand is behind influencing our life and those around us. Help us to remember that it is often the little things that keep us grounded and get us through each day. And when things aren’t working so well for us, may that humility and even frustration remind us that your hand is moving in that space as well. And help our hearts find that place of gratitude and then share it with others. Amen.

Since Annual Conference I have been dealing with a torn meniscus. Thankfully it was only torn and not disconnected so the procedure to repair is more minor to clean up, reduce pain, and bring healing so I can get back to my more active lifestyle. (That happens this Friday, so prayers are appreciated as I recuperate over the weekend!) I’m grateful I have been able to walk, but I am ready to jump, squat and kneel again. Even walk for fun and instead of utilitarian movement to get me from here to there. Those with health conditions are nodding your heads with me right now. Oh, how we take for granted this amazing body God created and all that it allows us to do. The joy of doing jumping jacks or jumping rope. I miss it. To squat down and trim my flowers or snag a w**d out of my garden, I even miss that. As I have learned about the complexity of the knee joint, I am amazed at how beautifully complex and perfectly engineered our body is. I shouldn’t be amazed because God has done such a magnificent job with all of creation, not just us humans. But like most of us, I don’t notice these details until they aren’t working correctly.

I wonder how many of us do that with church. I had a conversation with a pastor who shared how they had received feedback from church members about all the things that were wrong with the church or with their sermon or with a program ministry of the church. Are we able to notice all the things that are going well or that are a blessing to people or that bring joy or Kingdom growth? I know that I didn’t notice how well my knee bent, or how well the fluids inside my knee lubricated the joint or how well the meniscus and cartilage cushioned the bones or how well the tendons allowed my knee joint to move back and forth with each bend until it didn’t. I certainly didn’t give thanks to God for my working knee until I couldn’t fully straighten it. I’m pretty sure I’ve neglected to notice and give thanks for the greeter that makes sure the guest is taken care of or the coffee volunteers that make sure coffee is served and cleaned up afterwards or that all the participants have their books for the next study group or that the lights and AC came on for worship last Sunday.

My invitation to all of us is to look around our church or our work or our schools or our family life and name all the things that are working well and give thanks for them. Give thanks for the ways in which those things we named allow us to live, love, work, rest, or play. And maybe one of those things is a person that is important in our lives. Or maybe they are a behind the scenes helper. Maybe it’s our pastor (next month is pastor appreciation month btw!). Share your gratitude with them. Most importantly, offering a prayer of thanksgiving for something you have never thanked God for might be appropriate this week. Otherwise, you may never think to say thank you again- until it doesn’t work right for you. =)

I’m saying a prayer for all your churches that are gearing up for fall programming and worship and hope that you find opportunities to deepen your faith in God and your relationships with others in some meaningful ways. I also pray that as you prepare for Charge Conferences, that will be a time of holy conferencing in which you can tend to the business of the church and celebrate the ministry of the church. That may be an excellent time to say thanks for something you take totally for granted (like the person who pays the insurance on your church or who makes sure your volunteers with kids and youth are Safe Sanctuary trained!) So much to be thankful for!

Grace and Peace,

Lory Beth

09/02/2026

Today's Reading:
Matthew 5:1-11

Thought for the Day:
Where can I serve others with a humble heart today?

Prayer Focus:
People serving in the background

Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. - Matthew 5:3 (NIV)

I had volunteered at a church event to distribute food and help clean up. Initially this felt like an insignificant job, and I was reluctant. My friends were on stage leading worship, hosting, and preaching, while I was cleaning up in the back. I began to feel left out. However, I gradually realized that this simple task had meaning. Through serving I connected with people and saw those in need of help, and I found a sense of fulfillment and peace.

In those moments, I realized that when Jesus spoke of the “poor in spirit,” he may have been talking about not being self-centered, focusing instead on God’s calling and love for others. Jesus said, “Blessed are the poor in spirit,” because a humble heart allows us to rely more deeply on God, enabling us to experience the peace and blessings of the kingdom in any situation.

In daily life, we may encounter tasks that seem small and are often overlooked. However, when we embrace these with humility and give our best, we can experience God’s presence even in these small acts of service. True blessings are not born out of pride or self-interest but flow from a humble heart. God’s grace, like a spring, nourishes our lives and refreshes the hearts of others.

Today's Prayer:
Dear Lord, grant us humble hearts so that we will lean on you and feel your peace and blessing. Amen.

09/01/2026